1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an apparatus for removing a fishhook from a fish without causing significant additional injury to the fish so that the survival rate of hooked fish is greatly increased. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus or device that allows even a swallowed hook to be extracted from the fish without further injury to the fish by invariably rotating the fishhook so that it is removed from the fish along the same path that it hooked the fish.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. Sections 1.97-1.99.
Fish often swallow fishhooks deep into their throats or other parts of their bodies that are difficult for a fisherman to reach. When this happens, removing the hook without immediately killing the fish in the process is extremely difficult, if not impossible. If the fish is so killed, it is useless for any conventional purpose. Obviously, the fish cannot be returned to the waters to live and be caught another day. Nor can the fish be eaten in the normal course of the fishing experience because dead fish decompose very quickly. If such a fish were to be eaten, the fisherman would immediately have to stop fishing, clean and eat the fish on the spot. This is not usually possible or desireable. Therefore, many fish are inadvertently killed when the fisherman does not want to kill the fish.
This problem has led to efforts at solutions, some of which have led to issued United States Patents, some of which are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,507,083, issued to Anderson on May 9, 1950 (Anderson '083), discloses a "Fishhook Extractor" comprising a tubular device having a central shaft that reciprocates within a housing and carries a notch at the end of the shaft for engaging a fishhook. A lip formed on the forward end of the tubular housing clamps the hook between the housing and the notch in the rod. This device does not rotate the hook, but merely grips it, much as pliers would. This device may retrieve a fishhook, but at the expense of seriously increased trauma to the fish by ripping through the tissues engaged by the hook.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,578,289, issued to Danielson on Dec. 11, 1951 (Danielson '289), discloses a "Fishhook Remover" comprising a tubular housing holding a reciprocating shaft having an exposed compression spring for holding the handle or knob in an extended position away from the housing. The shaft includes a T-shaped handle at the top. The lower end of the housing tubing includes a notch that aligns with a similarly shaped trapezoidal notch in the shaft. The fishhook is gripped between the housing and the shaft when the shaft is depressed. The fishhook is not rotated into position, but is simply gripped, as by pliers. Like Anderson, '083, Danielson '289 seriously increases trauma to the fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,887, issued to Lockert on Jun. 18, 1957 (Lockert '887), discloses a "Fish Hook Extractor" comprising an exterior cylindrical housing having a knob handle on one end and containing a slide member connected to a T-shaped handle for reciprocal movement within the housing. A compression spring biases the slide member downward. The slide member has a hook in the end opposite the knob. The working end of the tubular housing includes inclined or beveled edges providing a rounding bearing surface. The slide member is flat and moves from one side of the housing to the other as the hook is extracted. The eye end of the fishhook is pried against the soft tissues of the fish in order to disengage the hook, which further injures the fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,523, issued to Dillard on Jul. 2, 1957 (Dillard '523), discloses a "Fishhook Extractor" comprising a tubular housing having a T-shaped handle and an inner tube held in place by a compression spring and having a knob at its end for reciprocal movement within the housing tube. A stripper element is also moveable within the housing and draws the fishhook into the housing. The stripping operation thereby removes the hook from the fish, drawing the hook toward the housing.
U.S. Pat. No.3,451,157, issued to Jones on Jun. 24, 1969 (Jones '157), discloses a "Fishhook Remover" comprising a main tubular member or housing having a crosswise handle secured at one of its ends and a slidable rod inside the housing operated by a sleeve or finger handle which causes a fishhook engaging hook at the bottom of the rod to engage the lower end of the housing. The fishhook is grasped between the hook at the end of the rod and an undercut projection at the end of the housing. The purpose of this device is to remove the fishhook from the fish with no regard to further injury to the fish. A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a weighted filler of lead or the like "for use as a hammer for killing a landed fish." Accordingly it is clear that Jones '157 is primarily concerned with retrieving the fishhook and is not in any sense concerned with reducing injury or death to the fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,702, issued to Chestnutt on May 27, 1986, (Chestnutt '702), discloses a "Fishhook Removing Tool" comprising an elongated tubular housing holding a telescoped pull member having a plunger handle at the end and held in the closed position by a compression spring seated inside the housing. A T-shaped handle on the housing allows the fisherman to actuate the plunger. A hook engaging member similar to the eye of a needle, but with a small opening along the eye, on the end of the rod engages the hook and pulls it against the end of the housing, thereby clamping the hook between the housing and the removal hook of the tool. Then, the tool may be pushed downwardly relative to the fish to displace the hook from the fish. Chestnut '702 also simply rips the hook from the fish, thereby increasing the injury and trauma to the fish.
Each of the above references discloses a fishhook remover or extractor and each comprises a cylindrical body having a reciprocating rod within the body or housing. The use of a spring to bias the rod toward a closed position or upright position is disclosed in Danielson '289, Lockert '887, Dillard '523, Jones '157 and Chestnutt '702. The use of a guide at the end of the tubular housing for assisting in gripping a hook is disclosed in Anderson '083, Danielson '289, Lockert '887 and Dillard '523. Lockert '887 includes a cam surface on the edge of the housing. Most of these references merely grip the hook, as pliers would and do not claim to reduce injury or death to the fish. They simply allow the fisherman to retrieve his hook.
Therefore, a need exists for a fishhook remover that allows the fisherman to remove a hook from a fish easily without tearing tissues of the fish, even when the fish has "swallowed the hook" or hooked its gills.